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Political Parties. In today’s society …. A political party is a group of citizens who agree on major issues facing the nation. These groups work to create public polic ies that reflect their views. In his farewell address, George Washington shared his feelings on political parties.
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In today’s society … • A political party is a group of citizens who agree on major issues facing the nation. These groups work to create public policies that reflect their views.
In his farewell address, George Washington shared his feelings on political parties
He defined parties as… “Combinations and associations… with the real [goal] to direct, control [or] counteract… the regular… action of the… authorities.” Groups of controlling or interfering with government business.
…the alternate triumphs of different parties… make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels and modified by mutual interests. back and forth victories government reflect the hostile contradictory two-party system organization where Steady and good are discussed by all parties through polite debate
[Parties] are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will beenabledto subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government... over time powerful tools which sneaky, power-hungry politicians take away the voice of the people take over
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism The back and forth party is hostile because when one party gains power it wants revenge on the other party times and places caused extremes the opposite of democratic.
Basically, you guys… I’m not a big fan of political parties.
The Election of 1796 Democratic-Republican Federalist
Thomas Jefferson was attacked and accused of being too pro-French and • an atheist.
John Adams was assaulted as • an elitist, • pro-monarchy, and personally • cantankerous.
But it gets worse… • James Callender, a journalist friend of Jefferson’s, told the country that Adams was an angry liar, that he was "repulsive” and a "gross hypocrite" who behaved neither like a man nor like a woman, • but instead possessed a "hideous hermaphroditical character".
There was also a nasty rumor that Adams had sent his vice-president to Europe to bring back four mistresses, two for each of them.
And worse still… (worser?) • the president of Yale warned that if Jefferson came to power, “we may see our wives and daughters the victims of legal prostitution.” • A Connecticut newspaper warned that his election would mean "murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will openly be taught and practiced"
In the 1828 election, Andrew Jackson's supporters distributed handbills portraying John Quincy Adams as driving away a "crippled old soldier" who asked for charity, with a horsewhip, no less. • Adams's supporters put out handbills decrying Jackson's reputation as a military hero by painting the general's execution of six deserting soldiers as a bloodthirsty act.
Jackson's supporters replied with handbills suggesting that Jackson had not executed the soldiers but "swallowed them whole, coffins and all, without the slightest attempt at mastication!!!!!! [chewing]"
In 1835, Davy Crockett, described Martin Van Buren's face as "a good deal shrivelled," compared Van Buren to "dung" and described his personality as "secret, sly, selfish, cold, calculating."
Then he got nasty. Van Buren, he wrote, was "a dandy. When he enters the Senate chamber in the morning, he struts and swaggers like a crow in the gutter.” • “He is laced up in corsets, such as women in a town wear, and, if possible, tighter than the best of them."
6 Party Systems in US Federalists vs. Jeffersonian Democratic- Republicans Jacksonian Democrats v Whigs Republican dominance -- fought slavery and put the Union back together 2nd Republican dominance w/ Big Business and the middle class Dem dominance w/ FDR Coalition (urban dwellers, labor unions, Catholics, Jews, poor, Southerners, Blacks, farmers) Era of divided government
ERA of Divided GOVT • Split-ticket voting • Prez one party (typically Rep) and Congress of another (typically Dem) • Party dealignment = more independents
#1 PARTY-IN-THE- ELECTORATE CITIZENS WHO IDENTIFY WITH THE PARTY
34 32 37
#2 PARTY-IN-GOVERNMENT THOSE ELECTED OR APPOINTED TO OFFICES AS MEMBERS OF A PARTY
House of Representatives
A B C D E F
John Boehner (R-OH) Speaker of the House THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS FROM THE MAJORITY PARTY
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) House Minority Leader Speaker of the House until 2010, when Republican gained control!
#3 PARTY-AS-AN- ORGANIZATION DAY-TO-DAY "PROFESSIONALS" WHO ORGANIZE & RUN THE PARTY
BUSH ACCEPTS IN 2000 NOMINATION FUNCTION
The Functions of the Party To NOMINATE- winning your party’s “nomination” gets you on the ballot. (most federal and state elections).
FUND-RAISING FUNCTION Let’s see! https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/dnc08splashnd